Sam's Club shows how in-store retail media should really work

"According to a new report from Emarketer, "In-Store Retail Media 2025," in-store retail media ad spending won't cross the $1 billion threshold until 2029 - a milestone the industry once expected to reach in 2028. Growth has built more slowly than anticipated despite advertiser demand, with roughly one in four ad buyers citing difficulty accessing in-store reach as a top challenge. The infrastructure and capital investment required to scale these programs remain daunting, and many retailers struggle to move beyond pilot purgatory."

"Sam's Club took a different path, taking a big bet on a media channel that it could uniquely build and defend. The company has invested significantly in technology, shopper experiences, and measurement capabilities that let them prove what's working at the individual member level. Ma's philosophy cuts through the noise: "Advertising exists to sell more things." From parking lots to point-of-sale Sam's Club's approach to in-store retail media actually starts outside the four walls."

Sam's Club's Member Access Platform is rolling out in-store retail media programs at scale rather than remaining in pilot stages. The retailer deployed coordinated in-store technology supported by investment in measurement and organizational alignment to prove effectiveness at the individual member level. Broader retail in-store ad spending is growing slower than expected, with Emarketer projecting it will not exceed $1 billion until 2029 and many buyers citing difficulty accessing in-store reach. Sam's Club invested in technology, shopper experiences, and measurement, and extended activations beyond stores into parking-lot sponsorship and events. Ma's philosophy: "Advertising exists to sell more things."

Read at The Drum